Travelers often find themselves far from home with little more than a bag and a wallet. They may carry one or two credit cards or debit cards to complete transactions. Some may even carry mobile devices provisioned with payment mechanisms associated with their transaction accounts. During their travels, many expenses arise including lodging, food and transportation.
Such critical goods and services can be taken for granted by those feeling secure in their account balances. For example, the transaction cards and mobile devices are convenient and effective while the travelers have them, but too often people lose a wallet, misplace a card, or have a mobile device stolen. People that are far away from home may find themselves alone without a mechanism to conduct purchases. The stranded individual typically cannot pay for basic needs like food, lodging or transportation without their cards or mobile devices.
Moreover, purchases for convenience may be in jeopardy, when a transaction device is not in the possession of the customer. For example, a customer looking to rent a bicycle on the beach may only be wearing a swimsuit. Without her credit card, the person may not have the ability to pay for the bicycle. The customer would have to return to her blanket area across the hot sand to retrieve the card in order to complete the transaction. Therefore, requiring cards or other media at the point of sale may inconvenience the customer.